UTTii
Opinion
The Battalion
Page 9 • Friday, April 2, 2004
Fighting drunken driving
,aw requiring drivers convicted of a DUI to have special plates a good start
it
'"iSr
ne could reason that with all of the con
cern and attention focused toward alcohol
and driving these days, alcohol-related
traffic incidents are declining. Furthermore,
because of new laws across the board meant to
deter drunk driving by means of tougher penal
ties, the country as a whole must be better off
than it has been.
Chris It sounds Utopian, but it unfortunately is not.
lively States have gone to great lengths to counter
an ever present drunk driving epidemic. All
les, due mostly to the federal government’s intervention in
ent years, do not make light of the fact that if someone is
ight driving under the influence or even worse, while intoxicat-
that he will suffer the consequences. Penalties generally
lude license suspension or revocation, fines, community service
jail time for repeat offenders. Ohio, however, has introduced a
a ?r®« ren t and more controversial method in an attempt to reduce its
:ohol-related traffic incidents, that of bright red and yellow
nse plates for offenders.
■Due to a law implemented on Jan. 1, 2004, Ohio judges are
I w required to issue these special plates to anyone convicted of a
DJI so other drivers can be more alert and know what the offend-
lihavedone. Despite the new law’s opposition, it nevertheless
iirits a significant amount of respect as it and similar strategies to
owner DUI incidents might be the solution to the increasing
pivalence of alcohol-related driving deaths nationwide.
. J The license plates are issued only to those offenders that are
aowed special driving privileges as a result of court-imposed
ir raito;
i becaiiii
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meet to pit
|trictions. Rightly, the law is currently being modified so
it first-time offenders can get a free ride. It is not necessari-
fair for first-time offenders with a clean slate to be labeled
such a fashion. But for repeat offenders, there is obviously
:ason why they are repeating their offenses as fines and
mmunity service are not taking care of business.
As the plates have been available for use on a county-by-
inty basis for the past 37 years, Ohio Municipal Judge John
Ikins was one of the few judges to utilize the policy before
I:mandatory law went into effect. In a Fox News report
|leased last week, Adkins said that the policy has been effec-
/ein reducing DUI incidents in his county. Based on this
ct alone, the law should not be regarded as ridiculous and
■aseless just yet.
The law is also referred to as the “scarlet letter” law, refer-
ting the classic novel where a Puritan woman is branded
letter “A” after having an illegitimate child. Many oppo-
ffifeel that shaming an offender in this manner is pre-mod-
awd unnecessary. They might also claim that getting
ided with the plates is embarrassing not only to the
I fender but to his family members or friends who might also
ant to use the vehicle. It is unfortunate that innocent people
ight be affected by the plates. However, it is reasonable to
Ive other drivers advanced notice with regards to potentially
dangerous situations.
As humiliating as they might be, people just might think
twice before getting behind the wheel under the influence. Sure
public display of one’s wrongful actions and humiliation may at
first seem only historical methods of deterrence. But why did we
get rid of them in the first place if people are so afraid of them,
but if people feared of such laws, perhaps the laws would be
more effective. People are much more apt to take up more
responsibility when it comes to drinking and driving if they are
threatened with these sorts of consequences.
According to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Web site,
17,380 Americans were killed in 2000 due to alcohol-related
vehicle accidents. In 2001, 17,400 were killed and in 2002,
17,419. These figures bring to light an alarming and unnerving
trend as the numbers do not allow for promising future predic
tions with current laws in place.
Driving under the influence is unfortunately not stigmatized
in modern America as it should be. Governments
have come to realize this in recent years and
have experimented with new tactics to
counter it. In addition to Ohio, the
Illinois legislature has introduced a
similar bill that has recently
been gathering sup
port, according to
the Boston Globe.
As Judge Adkins mentioned, the policy has already been effec
tive in his county. Consequently, other states may need to follow if
results turn out significantly in favor of the law on a statewide
scale. If this is the case, more pragmatic methods of preventing
DUI incidents such as “scarlet letter” labeling should be explored,
even if they come at the cost of humiliation.
Chris Lively is a senior
sociology major.
Graphic by Rylie Deyoe
MAIL CALL
pan
m. e* nerica was built on
ederalism, capitalism
igo
earn
It will sff
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i alsoM
In response to an April 1 mail call:
;en taft
n theft
The pro-heterosexual group holding
mners on campus both Tuesday
id Wednesday was not the Young
'p ngfioii wiservatives of Texas. YCT was
l iwever passing out flyers on con-
ivatism.
n response to Mr. Palmer’s
ursday mail call, he is wrong if he
lieves that the system of federal-
|m, where there is a balance of
wer between state and federal
vernment, and capitalism, where
tere is private ownership of pro-
ction and capital, contradict each
her. America was built on both of
ese principles and could not be
le greatest country in the world
today without them. Of course, a
small flyer with a list of principles is
tended for those who already
ve 311 ^iderstand those concepts or those
illing to stop and learn.
Mr. Palmer could use a lesson in
ose items and should engage in a
scussion with YCT members pass-
g out those flyers before writing a
ail call suggesting someone other
an himself is illiterate.
Weston Batch
Class of 2007
YCT officer
iffirmative action is a
superficial solution'
In response to a March 31 mail call:
I’m afraid Nick’s arguments for affir-
sfiflative action doesn’t hold much
ater when subjected to a little
crutiny, although he certainly does a
alter job of presenting his case than
latt Maddox. The statistics that quot-
made no mention of the relative
ualifications of the candidates or of
nything else save for the genetic
ackground of those involved. If we
iund that there were fewer redheads
eing admitted than blondes or
runettes would we need to intro
duce quotas based on hair color?
Also, the definition of racism as “is a
system designed to advance the
majority at the expense of the entire
minority” is simply false. Webster’s
dictionary defines racism as “racial
prejudice or discrimination” and
makes no mention of mention of
whether the oppressed is the majori
ty or the minority.
I believe that the fact that minorities
aren’t represented as well as they
should is indeed a problem, but affir
mative action is hardly the solution.
The problems we face are a society
is the stigmas and stereotypes asso
ciated with minority groups.
Psychological studies have shown
that black students do worse on stan
dardized tests when they realize they
are being tested as African-
Americans rather than general stu
dents. The implications of this are
that minority students are affected by
stereotypes and it affects the way
they perform on a subconscious level.
In other words, the very act of
acknowledging differences in race
enforces racial stereotypes. We all
dream of a society where all races
and genders are treated equally, but
how can we bring about a color blind
society by separating people into
racial profiles?
Affirmative action is, at best, a
short-term and superficial solution to
a problem that is rooted deep in soci
ety and will likely take decades to
resolve. We need a solution, but affir
mative action isn’t it.
John Spencer
Class of 2005
Battalion editorial
board should be elected
In response to the March 31
editorial:
While students are at the polls this
week they should remember another
student run organization. Currently,
the editorial board of The Battalion is
an internally appointed board. I would
propose that the positions on this
board become elected positions.
Consider the negative events of
which the Battalion has been so
inclined to cover. Students should
contemplate whether this coverage
represents factual situations or a
biased skew of the truth. We should
ask ourselves why quality events this
University is sponsoring do not
receive the press coverage they
deserve. The Battalion is a voice rep
resenting our University as it reaches
users beyond campus via the
Internet. Students should be able to
voice their opinions on the board who
presents this view of the University.
The only voice students currently
have is through the "edited at our
discretion" Mail Call. The positions
on the board do not require any skills
beyond those required to write for
the Battalion—journalism basics,
editing skills, and knowledge that
bad press sells.
It is my sincere hope that as a mem
ber of the student body that my rep
resentatives in the Student Senate
hear my voice. Perhaps the 18
authors of the MSC President refer
endum legislation would also consid
er this matter.
This resolution would present an
opportunity for the Battalion to move
toward more reform and ethics in
reporting. Being a student outside of
the Battalion myself, I feel that this
course of action has the Battalion’s
best interest at heart. Though unin
formed as I may be, I am sure that
electing the Battalion editorial board
is the right thing to do.
Steven Duke
Class of 2003
Gay protests are for
rights, not promotion
In response to a March 31 front
page article:
The claim that the unaffiliated group
“promoting” heterosexuality was out
there to “support their rights” is ridicu
lous. Homosexuals do not hold
demonstrations to reaffirm their
beliefs. They do so because they
desire to be treated like human
beings, with all the rights, privileges,
and freedoms from persecution that
go with it. I’m glad that this group of
pro-heteros is happy with the way that
they are living, but what is it to accom
plish? Do heterosexuals need more
rights? In fact, let’s see another rally.
Let’s have a rally that waves signs that
says “White is right” or “Jesus was an
Anglo”. In their terms, that would not
be a racist rally. It’s just “celebrating
whiteness.” Give me a break. Waving
signs that say “Adam and Eve, not
Adam and Steve” makes it difficult for
this rally not to be associated as gay
bashing. By the way, heterosexuality
has not been around since the dawn
of time. Life on this planet began as
asexual reproduction.
I know this school loves to flaunt its
traditions. But in a changing society,
the world cannot only look to this
type of demonstration as the only
value system our school has. It was
once a tradition to not admit women,
or minorities. It was once a tradition
for all students to be in the Corps.
Times change. A restructuring of the
traditional value system is what will
free us from this ideological
entrenchment. Tradition is the
antithesis of change. And the tradi
tion of the suppression of homosexu
ality (to name one group) on this
campus has to stop. The same free
dom of expression that protects this
elitist group’s right to picket protects
homosexuals’ right to express their
sexuality, and I’m going to law school
just to make sure.
Daniel Nickeson
Class of 2005
Some Aggies do have
homosexual parents
To the students promoting hetero-
sexuality:You might want to rethink
your slogan "Thank your parents for
being heterosexual." Did you ever
consider the fact that some of us
might not be the children of hetero
sexual parents? My father is a gay
man who tried to conform to a
lifestyle that society deemed appro
priate for him: wife, kids, successful
career. It took him almost twenty
years to finally realize that he could
n't lie to himself or to his family any
more. My parents have been
divorced for nine years now and are
more happy today than I ever saw
them during their marriage.
I don't have a problem with a het
erosexual rally. Just please leave my
parents out of it next time.
Anonymous Aggie and
Proud Daughter of a Gay Father